Freedom
by Eleanor-and-Jagg
Summary: Sequel to Chance. Merlin and Balinor return to Camelot intent on freeing Kilgarrah, but surely the father son duo is bound to run into a few problems along the way? Features conversations with Arthur, Gauis and of course, Kilgarrah. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

So this is the first chapter of my sequel to Chance. I haven't finished writing this story but I got this done and I felt like I just _had_ to post it and see what people thought. I don't know when the next update will be, I'll not to keep anyone waiting but I am a bit of a procastinator and I'll be starting 6th form next week so I'm going to be very busy.

It's called freedom because it's mostly Balinor and Merlin going back to Camelot and releasing Kilgarrrah but also father and son have a discussion about what it is to be free. Sounds a bit sappy I know but there is a point to it. The story is set in Series 2, between episodes 3 and 4.

In this story they will also meet Arthur, Gaius and Morgana. Morgana is going to fairly large issue in this fic, and if you want, it could lead to some Mergana, let me know what you think.

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Two hooded figures astride black and chestnut horses cantered towards a large white city, which glowed in the orange light from the rising sun. Coming to a halt, the smaller figure on the black horse let out a contended sigh at the sight of his home. The other's shoulders tightened, haunted by the sight of the castle that plagued his nightmares.

Merlin could sense Balinor's discomfort and reached out to his father, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Father and son met each others eyes, Balinor allowing a small smile to grow on his face as he felt his belly flip itself once again; He still felt the same surge of overwhelming joy pool inside him whenever he thought of his son.

"Do you want to go over the plan one more time?" Merlin asked. Balinor nodded, even though they had been over it so many times it was imprinted on his brain he was glad of the distraction.

"I'll put an enchantment on you; it's fairly simple, but effective. As long as I top it up twice a day it'll hold. You'll be disguised as my sick friend who I've brought from Ealdor to Gaius. The disease is not contagious but if I can't get you to the physician you'll die within a week. That should get us, I know the guards, and they trust me. And even if they don't let us in they're so bad at their jobs we can easily sneak past them come nightfall. Once we're inside the citadel, we head straight for Gaius, if we run into anyone, let me do the talking. We have to avoid Uther and Arthur the best we can if we want this to work. Now, remember what you promised Father, don't do anything… rash. You can hide in my room during the day. I'll try and stay with you but the prat will probably have a list of jobs as long as Kilgarrah's tail and socks smellier than Old Man Simmon's muck heap so I can't make any promises. If Gaius goes out, stay in the room. If someone comes in, stay in the room. _Do not _go walkabout.

Tonight, I'll take you down to see Kilgarrah, we can all have a chat, convince him not to attack Camelot, seek revenge etc, break his chains, you two agree a place to meet in three days time, he flies off, you stick around for a few days while your 'cured' by our humble physician, I beg Arthur a few more days leave off Arthur. Then we go and meet Kilgarrah, you and him fly off and find some caves near Ealdor, get him settled in and then return home, whilst I head back to Camelot, fulfil my destiny and visit you and Mother as often as I can." Merlin took a deep breath, having recounted their well thought out plan rather quickly.

Balinor smiled again, both at his son nearly hyperventilating in an attempt to get his breath back after babbling at what seemed like breakneck speed and at the thought of seeing Kilgarrah again. He wondered if the Dragon had known that he was Merlin's father. That dammed dragon had probably known all along and not said anything. Typical. Anyway, he thought, it's all out now.

By this point Merlin had his breathing under control and was looking intently at the Dragonlord, one eyebrow raised in a perfect imitation of Gaius. "So? Shall I do the enchantment or are we just going to sit here all day?" He spoke slightly impatiently, but there was an undertone of affection, for Camelot and his father.  
"Yes yes yes, go on, do your thing." Balinor hurriedly replied.

Merlin took a quick breath before chanting "Cuddio fy nhad, yn newid ei wyneb i mans marw" Balinor watched is son's eyes burn liquid gold as the life of the world flooded his body. He had only seen Merlin do magic a handful of times and he still felt the thrill of seeing his son, _Emrys_, be truly himself and let down his barriers. He felt the magic descend upon him, smothering him, although not in an unpleasant way. It made him think of sleeping in front of Hunith's fire in those first few weeks. When she thought he was asleep, she would creep out of bed and give him an extra blanket, wrapping around his body, tucking it under him and smoothing out the creases. She'd stop for a second to look upon him 'sleeping'. And seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into hours as she began to sit with him in a chair by the hearth, watching over him like a guardian angel. Yes, it felt a bit like that.

Balinor was pulled from his revere by his thrusting a small mirror into his hands and grinning excitedly. The older man peered into the glass, only to find the reflection of a much younger man. His hair was shorter and the colour of damp hay. His now hazel eyes were further apart and he had a smaller nose. His face was rounder but not fat with a few light freckled dotted around his cheeks. An entirely normal face, a face one would be hard pressed to remember. The most notable quality was the sallow colour of his skin and a few small beads of sweat on his forehead showing he was ill. "Perfect" Balinor muttered, looking back at his son, he now looked older than himself!

They set of again, this time at a trot, Balinor trailing behind, trying to look as exhausted and useless as possible. By the time he caught Merlin up, the warlock had finished speaking to the guards, who were just opening the gates for them to enter. "Come along Ben, we've got to get you to Gaius now!" Merlin called. Balinor, or rather 'Ben' just grunted in reply.

They dismounted and quickly weaved their way through the busy town. Every so often, a passing servant or merchant would call out to Merlin, asking after his mother, reminding him of things he had to collect or just welcoming him back to Camelot. Everyone else just smiled warmly and nodded at the boy, simple gestures that he would return. It warmed Balinor's heart to see how many friends his son had here, especially after he had witnessed the cool disdain most of the villagers in Ealdor treated him with. When Merlin had given their horses to the palace stable boys, father and son went to enter the castle through the main doors.

"MERLIN!"

Both their heads spun to an open window in the castle, a window which the Crown Prince of Camelot was hanging out of. Arthur glaring daggers, as well as bellowing at Merlin, whose eyes widened comically.

"Oh dear." Merlin whispered croakily.  
In a worried tone Balinor asked "What, what is it?"

"I was meant to be back two days ago. Which means that Arthur has had to endure two more days of… _George._"

"Is that bad?"

Seeing Arthur disappear from his window, probably running down to the courtyard to drag Merlin by his eye to the stocks the warlock quickly replied "Yes, it is. Very bad. In fact, it's so bad, I think we should start running _now!_" The lanky man set off at a sprint up the steps and through the doors.

It took Balinor a second to realise what was going on before bolting after his son through the castle. Interestingly no one really seemed surprise to see the Prince's manservant dashing around the halls, weaving servants and nobles, skidding into walls when he rounded a corner.  
After running around every corridor and even up a tower and down to the dungeons easily within half an hour Merlin ducked into an alcove pulling Balinor in after him when the Dragonlord almost ran straight past. Chests heaving they caught their breath and hid as a group of shouting knights ran past. On seeing this Merlin groaned quietly. "This just got serious. Arthur's gone for back up."

Balinor raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"That group of Knights that went past, they're looking for me." Merlin elaborated "Whenever Arthur is tired or struggling to find me, he ropes in a couple of Knights to help him look. Leon, Owen, Bedivere, Kay, it's usually them. They know it's all good fun though; Bedivere and Kay usually let me go unless Arthur is in a _really_ bad mood. Kay's even given me some tips on hiding places in the past." Looking back at his disguised father he saw Balinor's broad grin as he asked, slightly incredulously "And how often does this happen?"

"Er, at least once a week." Answered Merlin, peering into the seemingly empty corridor. He met Balinor's eyes and both of them burst into a fit of giggles at the ridiculousness. "Seriously though" Merlin said, calming down "This does make it harder, we now have two groups to avoid. We're not far from Gaius' chambers so if were quick and very very lucky we can get there unseen and come up with a good excuse for later. Ready?" Balinor nodded and they set off again.

Merlin's face lit up as he rounded the final corner to the physician's quarters, thinking he was home free when he ran into something very solid, very angry and very princey. Taking a step back servant peered up at irate master nervously. Quickly Merlin sent a message to Balinor mentally 'Do not come around this corner, I've ran into Arthur. Wait there for me to call you.' As asked Balinor ground to a halt and hid against the corner of the wall, listening intently to the conversation.

"Well _Mer_lin, fancy seeing you here? I mean it's not like you've been _all over the bloody castle_ is it?" Arthur's voice was dripping with sarcasm, as was the smile plastered on the Prince's face. Merlin opened his mouth to reply but Arthur cut him off in a low and dangerous voice "Now Merlin, think carefully about what your going to say now. Bear in mind that you are already on your way to the stocks, but I still haven't decided for how long." Merlin gulped, his mind racing. '_Think, think think Merlin…got it!'_

"Well, the reason I am two days late is because there was an illness is the village. It's not contagious so you don't need to worry about me spreading it. It's not deadly most of the time but it's coming up to Harvest time and they couldn't afford to be ill, so I had to go and find them some herbs in the forest _and then_ I had to make the medicine and stay with them till they all got better. I did think about sending a letter but by the time it got here I wouldn't be far behind so it seemed a bit pointless." Merlin had kept his expression fairly meek and apologetic while spinning his tale unable to tell if Arthur was buying it as the Prince remained frozen.  
"All right Merlin, I believe you," The younger man let out a sigh of relief. "_But_ that still doesn't explain why I've been chasing you around the castle for half an hour? What are you trying to hide from me?" Arthur folded his arms and raised his eyebrows, looking somewhat pleased with himself.

"Hi-hide?" Merlin stammered, wracking his brains for a clever answer. "I wasn't hiding, I was…looking! I was looking for my friend Ben, who was hiding!"  
Arthur's eyebrows climbed higher up his forehead as he asked sceptically "Oh yes? And why was _Ben_ hiding?"

"Well you scared him when you shouted at me in the courtyard." Leaning forward Merlin dropped his voice to a whisper, but it was still loud enough for Balinor to hear "He's a simpleton you see, got kicked in the head by a horse as a child. Loud noises scare him." Seeing Arthur was looking more trusting of Merlin's story, the warlock returned his voice to normal and continued "He's very sick you see, sicker than all the others. I've had to bring him here so Gaius can treat him, I didn't have everything that was needed in Ealdor. And I had to bring him because if left untreated it'll kill him and Ben, he's like my little brother, we grew up together, I couldn't very leave him could I?" He watched very carefully as Arthur's face softened throughout his little speech. '_Ah, the guilt trip.' _Merlin thought _'It never ceases to work wonders.'_ Maybe it was a little cruel to manipulate Arthur like that but desperate times called for desperate lies.

Arthur's voice had softened noticeably when he next spoke. "Well, where is he now? You haven't lost him again have you, you idiot?"

Merlin shot him a mock glare and a cheeky grin at the use of his favourite insult "Don't be a prat, of course I haven't. He's waiting around the corner for me to finish explaining all this to you. I knew you'd be all… _you_ about me being late and I didn't want to aggravate him so I told him to wait until I called him. In fact- Ben? Ben, you can come here now. It's all okay, I've spoken to the Prince and he'd like to meet you very much."

Balinor, who had been enjoying hearing his son's quick wit and easy banter with the Prince, took this as his cue to shuffle nervously around the corner, head bowed, playing the part of scared dim witted peasant perfectly. He went and stood partly behind Merlin, taking care to shoot small glances at Arthur's feet. Merlin was slightly shocked, as well as pleased at his father's acting abilities and said "It's okay Ben. Arthur's not going to shout at you. Go on, use your manners."

With a gentle shove 'Ben' was pushed towards Arthur, who was wearing a kind expression. Feeling bold, 'Ben' stuck his hand out and said in a deep voice 'Hello. My name is Ben.' Arthur didn't even bat an eye at the lack of protocol Balinor was glad to note. Grasping Balinor's outstretched hand with both of his own he shook them firmly but warmly. "Hello Ben, I'm Prince Arthur Pendragon, but I'd like it if you called me Arthur." A small but genuine smile lit up the Prince's face. "I'm sorry I scared you earlier, I didn't mean to."

A wicked thought popped into Balinor's head and he put on an earnest expression as he thought to himself that it was time for him to have some fun with the Prince. "It's okay Arthur but you shouldn't shout. My mother always says that shouting bad and you should never do it, no matter how angry you are. Promise me you won't shout at Merlin again Arthur, promise me."

To Arthur's credit, he remained fairly composed throughout 'Bens' request and it was only because Merlin had told him so much about Arthur and how to tell what he's actually thinking that Balinor could see Arthur's inner turmoil. Merlin, however, was to busy trying to repress hysterical laughter at his father's demand that he missed this. After a short pause Arthur replied in a somewhat strained voice "I-Okay Ben, I promise I'll do my best not to shout at Merlin again. Now, shall we get you to Gaius?"

Arthur quickly led Ben by the arm to the door and knocked once before entering. "Gaius, Merlin's back and he's brought a friend with him." He called. Gaius looked up from his desk, relief etched on his face.

The Prince turned to Ben and said "Well Ben, I've got to leave you know, I my duties to attend to. It was nice to meet you; maybe when your better I could show you around Camelot. Merlin, come and find me later, we need to have a chat." And with that the Prince left, shutting the door behind him.

As soon as Arthur had left Gaius went into a full blown lecture about responsibility and how it couldn't have hurt for Merlin to send a letter as soon as he got to Ealdor when he was cut off by raucous laughter from the two young men standing near the door. Apparently they found something so hilarious that the stranger was bent over double giggling like a madman whilst Merlin was using his back as a sort of table which he was sprawled on to keep himself from rolling on the floor.

Gaius just stood there, open mouthed and confused.

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So there you go, please review and let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions about what you would like to happen I would love to here them!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two! Hurray! I hope you like it as I'm not sure when my next update will be as I'm starting school again next week and I may get very busy, very quickly. Enjoy!

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Balinor was still heaving with laughter when he realized how this must look to Gaius. Admittedly it was childish to start laughing but Gaius' lecture combined with the running from Arthur and the look on Merlin's face was just too much for the Dragonlord to cope with. He couldn't help it, honestly. And judging by the way Merlin was collapsed giggling over his back, his son had probably found the whole thing as funny as Balinor did.

It took in a couple more minute to calm down enough to find his voice. With a throat sore from laughter Balinor gasped "Merlin, the enchantment please, Gaius doesn't understand." If he had been able to lift his laughing head Balinor could've seen the physician's eyes widen and face pale at the mention of his ward's magic. "Oh yeah, right." Merlin mumbled something into his fathers coat and the enchantment fell away. Giving Merlin's resting face a shove with his shoulder blade Balinor pushed his son off his back before straightening up. Looking Gaius straight in the eye Balinor smiled and said "Hello again, old friend."

If it was possible, Gaius' mouth fell open even wider as he gaped at a man he had not seen for twenty one years. A man he had not seen for twenty one years standing next to his grinning son. He looked so dumbstruck by this turn of events that Merlin burst out laughing again, which in turn set Balinor off. Once he managed to get his head around the fact that _Balinor_ was standing in front of him next to _Merlin_ in the middle of _bloody Camelot_ he could see the funny side and joined in the chuckling. Gesturing for them to join him at the table he said "What… I mean, just… _how?_"

"How indeed." Balinor chuckled, taking a seat opposite Gaius next to his son, who quickly summarised the past week from when they first met all the way up to their conversation with Arthur, which set the two off giggling again.

Gaius scowled at them. "Really" he muttered "I'd thought you'd both be old enough to know how reckless that was!" Both Merlin and Balinor had the decency to look chastised at this, adopting the exact same expression, one Gaius saw Merlin use far too often. But Gaius' scolding soon gave way to a chuckle of disbelief and a shake. Inwardly he was amazed at the similarities between father and son who were both grinning identical grins. His heart leapt for joy as he had never seen Merlin look so excited about anything! Seeing them next to each other, there was no doubt about what their relation was. That make Gaius feel uneasy; if someone were to come through the door now that recognised Balinor, they would all be in serious trouble. Merlin must have been thinking the same thing as he quickly muttered the enchantment and the illusion was back in place.

When Balinor frowned Merlin quickly explained "In case anyone comes in."

Gaius was pleased; it seemed Merlin wasn't as naive as he was when he first came to Camelot, although that might not be an entirely good thing. "Right then, if this is going to work I need to start 'making' something, Balinor needs to stop giggling and start acting like he's dying and Merlin- do _try_ to look a little more worried. Balinor, I think it'd be a good idea for you to spend the day in Merlin's room so if anyone comes in you won't have to answer their questions. I'll start mixing some herbs and Merlin, I do believe you have a Prince to see." The physician stood up and stared expectantly at the pair opposite him who, after a few seconds, jumped up and followed their respective instructions. Balinor walked over to the small room he presumed was his son's while Merlin headed to the door and called "Right you are Gaius, I'll see you two later." Popping his head around the door before it shut after him he added, with a grin and a wink "I may need a bath."

* * *

Merlin paused outside Arthur's chambers, deliberating on whether to knock or not. He never normally did, but he normally knew Arthur's schedule and so knew if he would be barging in and disturbing an important meeting. In the end, the warlock knocked quietly on the heavy oak doors and waited to be called in.

When Arthur heard the knock on the door his heart leapt, only to for it to fall back down again when he remembered that Merlin never knocked. He would rather muck out the stables than admit it, but the Prince had missed his awkward manservant over the last week, to a surprising degree. He put it partly down to George's almost constant presence, which had begun to scare him after the second day. That man was always hovering behind Arthur, ready and willing to perform any duty his master should ask of him. Not like Merlin. Arthur snorted as he thought about Merlin's… unique attitude to being a servant. Instead of constantly requesting new jobs Merlin meandered here and there, chatting to everyone whilst trying to shirk as many duties as possible in favour of… well, Arthur didn't really know what Merlin liked to do in his spare time.

Realizing he had been keeping who ever it was waiting for a while the Prince quickly called "Come in" as he sat down at his desk and tried to look busy. He frowned slightly when his wayward manservant/friend walked his. His frown turned into a scowl when said manservant burst out laughing. Obviously Merlin had seen through his 'yes-I'm-the-very-busy-Crown-Prince-of-Camelot-wha t-do-you-want-look' and worked out that Arthur had in fact been daydreaming again. Probably about Gwen, Merlin thought.

Feeling a bit flustered but more annoyed he asked "Well Merlin, what do you want?" Now it was Merlin's turn to frown as he replied, slightly confused "You asked me to come? You said you wanted to talk to me…" Raising his eyebrows he smiled smugly at the Prince who quickly tried to recover any shred of dignity he could.

"Oh yes. I did. You don't usually knock unless you want something, like a day off to spend in the tavern." Merlin just nodded making an 'Ahh' noise with his eyebrows still doing a fantastic impression of Gaius, ignoring the jibe about the tavern and seeing straight through Arthur's façade, just like he always did. "Anyway, I wanted to tell you that you should've sent a letter when you got to Ealdor and saw how sick everyone was. Gwen has been out of her mind with worry, not to mention how Gaius has been!"

A sly grin spread on the servants face. "Oh well yes, I expect _Gwen_ has been very worried." Arthur just sent him a withering look. Then, looking more concerned he asked "How's Hunith? Is she well?" During his brief stay in Ealdor he had grown rather fond of the woman, as well as slightly envious of Merlin; Hunith was everything Arthur had wanted for a mother when he was little.

Nodding Merlin answered "Yes she's fine, she's brilliant in fact. I haven't seen her that happy in years…" A small slightly wistful smile appeared on Merlin's face for a moment before it was gone and he continued "An old friend of her's has come back to the village. They were very close before I was born, but then her friend had to leave. Family issues, I think. But anyway, their back now and I think they're going to inseparable again." Grinning, Merlin stared out the window, imagining what his parent's lives would be like now.

"Hey Merlin," He was pulled from his daydreaming by Arthur, who was looking thoughtful, which was never a good sign for the warlock. "Why didn't I meet Ben when we went to Ealdor? You said the two of you grew up together."  
The warlock cursed silently. He hadn't thought of that. "Er, well, he wasn't there. Obviously or you would've met him. His father had taken Ben with him to appeal to Cenred for help. My mother knew Cenred would not come, so she set off to Camelot. We sent word to Ben's father and they stayed away till it was all over, to keep Ben safe."

This answer seemed to please Arthur as he nodded, muttering "Of course, of course. How long will it take to treat him?"

"Oh, not too long. A few days. About that, when he's better, he needs to go back to Ealdor and he can't exactly go on his own. He could get lost, or be attacked or he co-"

"You want more time off to take him back to your village." Cut in Arthur.  
A sheepish Merlin nodded. He watched as the Prince sighed, then granted him his request saying "Fine. When he's better you can have a few more days off to take him home, but when you get there no dawdling. I want you back here as soon as possible and then that's _it._ No more time off. And you will have a huge and inventive list of jobs for waiting for you. Understand?"

"Oh yes, absolutely. Can I go and visit him for a few hours after training? After you have your bath? You'll only be doing paperwork and you always say I annoy you then anyway. I'm sure if you need anything George will be _more_ than happy to assist you."

"Yes yes, whatever just… go polish my armour, will you?"

Merlin smiled happily at his master; bobbing his head respectfully he exited the room, pausing by the door before turning and saying, his voice empty of all sarcasm and humour "Thank you Arthur, for understanding and being so nice, with Ben. You're a good man." He suddenly grinned and added, just for good measure "A clotpole yes, but a good man." And with that, he ducked out the room, leaving Arthur to ponder his words.

* * *

Merlin hummed tunelessly as he made his way back to his room. Training had been a drag and he definitely had a few new bruises to show for it, but it was worth it as he got to spend a few more precious hours with his father. Merlin felt butterflies in his stomach as he thought of the man. Balinor was… well perfect really. Everything Merlin had hoped for. He was funny, quick witted, kind, understanding, always ready to listen and excited to hear more about his son's life. If truth be told, he was secretly pleased at the way his father had raged and swore when he heard the way some of the villagers spoke to him. It felt good to have someone be protective of you to that extent. He was definitely opinionated but he logical, shrewd and treated his mother well. Balinor was eager to make up for lost time and so was his son.

When he entered the physicians quarters he was met by a harrowed looking Gaius who, upon seeing him cried out in relief. Dragging him by the arm towards his small room Gaius started babbling. "Merlin! Thank the gods your back, your father is driving me _insane_. It seems he has as much energy as you and he's struggling to stay in this room let alone yours! Please _please_ go and talk to him! Turn him into a dog and take him for a walk for all I care, just do _something, please!" _Pushing the young man up the steps and into his room the elderly physician hurriedly shut the door behind him, as if worried Balinor would rush out all of a sudden.

During his mentor's little tirade, Merlin had adopted an amused expression complete wih a quirked eyebrow, which raised higher when he saw that his room was messier know than it had been before he left. His wardrobe was open and a few shirts were scrunched up on the floor. A plate and glass were lying rather precariously on his box-come-bed-stand and most bizarre of all, there was a small pile of wood chippings by his bed. And in the centre of it all was Balinor, his back to the door.

Letting out a small laugh Merlin said "Really Father? Have you been that bored?"

Spinning around on the spot Balinor grinned and replied cheerfully "Merlin m'boy your back!" Looking around sheepishly, he rubbed the back of neck in the same self conscious way Merlin did. "Er, sorry about the mess… I er, well, I'm not used to being cooped up." The warlock just laughed again "It's fine, honestly." With a wave of his hand, the mess cleared itself up.

"Huh, that's handy." Balinor muttered.

"Trust me, you've no idea!" chuckled Merlin, thinking of all the times he'd used his magic to… help with his jobs. It was reckless and not worth being caught but he did enjoy the little thrill he got at the idea of being caught. "So, what've you been up to today?" Merlin watched as Balinor flopped down on the small bed and recounted his tales of boredom before sighing at looking up at his son.

"Tell me a story Merlin, to pass the time or I fear I shall go mad stuck in this room. A tale of danger, heroism and magic." Balinor was lying in his son's bed, propped up by his elbows.

Merlin moved Balinor's legs and sat down at the end of the bed, a small smile widening on his face as he sifted through his memories. "Very well. I shall tell you the tale of the forging of Excalibur. In this story our heroes face witches and wraiths as well as seeking help from a Dragon. It begins at a feast. It was a special feast, to celebrate the new Crown Prince's coming of age and our gallant young warlock was busy with his duties, serving wine and tending to his masters needs…"

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So yes, conversations with Gaius and Arthur, as promised and no sorry, no Morgana or Kilgarrah yet, I need more time to write them. As always, reviews would be lovely and if you have any suggestions about what you think should happen next, feel free to let me know :-)


	3. Chapter 3

Hello again? Remember me? *cowers behind laptop in shame* I am very sorry about the err, lack of updates for the past 29 days but starting A Levels coupled with writers block makes it really hard to write. Also as it turns out, I am _great_ at procrastinating! Enough of apologies and guilt for now, here is the Chapter 3!

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"And so our warlock took Excalibur and hid it where no other mortal would ever find it, just as the dragon requested. He journeyed once again to the shores of Avalon and he cast the mighty sword into the dark depths of the lake, where it waits to be taken up by its rightful wielder, the Once and Future King. Once again the Kingdom had been saved by our young warlock and no one was any the wiser, just the way it should be. The warlock returned to his post, determined to serve dutifully in public and private, in any way he could until it was time to step forth from the shadows." Merlin smiled happily at the thought of that day, when he would no longer have to lie or hide or fear. When he could just be himself. Looking down at Balinor, who had been silent throughout his story (except a gasp of surprise or excitement here and there) and he was staring at Merlin, enthralled, with an expression of pride and worry. Although he was too modest to admit it, Merlin was an excellent story teller and could capture of the hearts every person in the room. From the first sentence Balinor had been hooked, his son's vivid recount of the tale making the Dragonlord feel he had actually been there when The Black Knight burst into the celebrations or when the mighty sword was burnished.

On top of his amazement at the story Balinor felt proud enough to burst. Merlin could see Avalon, he'd persuaded Kilgarrah to burnish a sword, even tried to destroy the wraith himself. To think his son had done all that, in secret. But it also made his heart bleed, because his son had done all that, in secret. The Dragonlord was no stranger to loneliness; he could see it in his son's eyes. It was small, at the moment, but if left it would fester and grow and Merlin would loose everything that made him Merlin. He needed a friend who he could talk too about his magic and every aspect of his life. Gaius and himself didn't count, they were too old and hadn't endured the same level of fear and suppression Merlin had. They didn't understand. Balinor doubted anyone would understand, even if they were also a sorcerer they wouldn't have the same burden as his precious son. To have so much expected of him at such a young age…

Dragging himself back to the present, he looked up at his son, to see him peering expectantly at him, seeming to be waiting for his verdict on the story. Breaking out a grin, Balinor said "An excellent tale my son. I particularly enjoyed the part where our intrepid young warlock convinced the mighty dragon to burnish the sword. But who was the witch who summoned the wraith? You have never said her name. Surely it must have been someone with great power to call up a dead man."

Merlin smiled secretively as he said "Indeed it did require a great deal of power from the sorceress. But was not for a while yet before I discovered who was responsible and that is a long story for another day."

Balinor groaned and exaggeratedly flopped down onto the bed. Like a little child Merlin thought, chuckling. Patting his father's legs, the warlock stood up, sighing. "Well I'd better go and serve the prat his dinner and get him ready for bed. I should only be gone another hour or two and then I'll come back and tell you another one, all right?"

Balinor too sighed, already feeling bored and nodded in agreement. Before he left Merlin said, in a somewhat tired voice "And please try not to make a mess or do anything to annoy Gaius."

"Yes yes, now go before Arthur comes and breaks down the doors looking for you. Go on, get! And you'd better make sure the story is a good one."

Merlin just grinned and asked "Aren't they always?" before running off to the kitchens. The Dragonlord shook his head, still in diselief at his luck. He had a wonderful son who was everything he had hoped for; Hunith still loved him and was waiting for him back in their home and in a few hours Kilgarrah would be free to fly again. It wasn't perfect, but it was pretty damn close. He beamed up at the ceiling before pulling out his father's knife and reaching under Merlin's bed for that piece of wood Gaius had given him.

* * *

The sun was setting over Camelot, covering the city in a deep orange blanket. Smoke rose from the chimney and the streets were quieter, the commotion of everyday life coming to an end as towns people made their way home after another days work.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Balinor jumped at his son's voice, despite its softness. Merlin stood behind his father at the small window in his room, and gazed upon Camelot, mesmerized. Balinor put his head back onto his arms, which were resting on the ledge and breathed a "Yeah" in reply.

"Sometimes," Merlin stuttered, blushing slightly in the fading light. "Sometimes I imagine what it'll look like when magic is free again. It'll be different, but not overly so." Moving closer to the window the young man pointed to an empty building in the town. "That'll be apothecary run by a family of druids; it'll be the first shop that's run by druids to open in Camelot." Moving his hand over to the marketplace he continued "In the market a few stalls will start selling magical goods. You know, scrying bowls, potions or maybe some magic books. They'll be one that sells simple jewellery with protective enchantments on. It'll become a new fashion to buy your lady friend's presents from there, for peasants and nobles. The market will become so famous for magical goods people will come from all of the five Kingdoms just so they can say they've been." Again his hand moved, this time to the main square outside the castle. "And here! There'll be a stage here, and in the summer Arthur will pay actors to perform in the evening and anyone can come and watch. In the day, performers and conjurers can do shows from the stage. They'll be fantastic, all the children will be enthralled and the parent's will spend the day trying to work out how the trick is done!"

Looking out towards the city walls he said "That patrol, on the wall, one of them will conjure a ball of light or fire, to entertain the others with during their watch, or casting a spell to keep them all warm during the night."

And so Merlin continued, pointing down to the city, noting the changes, a carving here, a shop there, until pink sky turned inky black and the moon had climbed high into the heavens. Balinor found it oddly reassuring, just standing and watching the city, imagining it with the subtle changes his son was describing. He could see it in his minds eye, the Camelot that welcomed magic that he and his son were waiting for.

When Merlin finally fell silent there was a silence that was heavy with anticipation. Eyes shining in the moonlight Balinor turned to his son, who was still gazing out the window longingly and asked, in a small childlike voice "Is it time yet?"

Turning his attention to the nervous Dragonlord before him, Merlin smiled kindly. In truth, the warlock had forgotten all about freeing Kilgarrah he had been so caught up in sharing his private musings and just enjoying his father's company. His own voice trembling slightly he replied "Yes father, it's time."

* * *

Silently sneaking through the sleeping castle, Merlin and Balinor paused so that the former could distract the so called 'gaurds'. Merlin shook his head, disbelieving that after a year and a half they still fell for the old jumping dice trick. Peering round the corner to check that the coast was clear he pulled Balinor down into the sloping passageway, grabbing a flaming torch as he went. He could of course have use magic but he decided that, in this instance, showing off to his father wasn't worth the risk of being caught.

As the ground beneath him started leveling off and the walls became rockier the anticipation in the warlock's stomach was growing, making him feel like he was about to start giggling. He sneaked a glance to his right and saw that Balinor was in a similar state. A small smile showed on the older man's face but his shoulders where rigid and his hands clenching and unclenching. The Dragonlord let out a small, gentle laugh and mumbled, still looking at the ground "I can't believe we're actually going to do this." Too wrapped up in his own thoughts, he didn't notice his son coming to an abrupt stop and consequently stumbled into him clumsily before looking up at the cavern around him.

It was huge; stretching for miles into the darkness, never ending. Great columns of rock stretched from the roof of the cavern to the floor, which couldn't be seen from the small platform and stalactites dangled precariously from the ceiling like icicles. "Wow" breathed Balinor, taking in the sights around him. Clearing his throat he asked "So, how do we get him to come here? Is there a spell or something?"

Merlin just shot him a cheeky grin and a wink before bellowing "OI! Dragon, I've brought someone to see you!" Before Balinor could utter a sarcastic quip –Merlin's dry sense of humor had been rubbing off on him- the cavern was filled with the noise of beating wings and the cool hair whistled over his face and through his air. The Dragonlord felt a tingling sensation in his chest, his stomach doing back flips, a feeling that could only mean he was about to see his brother again after twenty one long years.

Kilgarrah swooped down onto his perch and he laid eyes on Balinor again; he threw back his head and let out a deafening roar. The noise set his soul on fire and with eyes brimming with tears Balinor joined in the mighty call, pouring all the pain and loneliness he had endured for this one moment into the cry.

For Merlin, it felt like time had frozen as he looked down at his fingers, which had begun to tingle in a way that reminded him of pins and needles. He could feel it spreading through his veins, seeping into his blood, all the way from the tips of his toes to the tops of his ears. He had never felt like this, not even when he released his magic. The warlock was itching to do _something_, although he had no idea what; so he let his instincts guide him. He too turned his head up to the ceiling and joined in the call, their voices echoing in the dark, multiplying the noise until it was almost deafening.

Merlin was confused. Never had he felt so… animalistic? No, that wasn't the right word. But try as he might, he couldn't describe the sensation he was feeling. He felt… exposed, like he had been stripped to the bone and all his wildest hopes and secret desires had been revealed. He felt… good. He felt right. Like this was what he was meant to be, and that this was who he had always been. Merlin knew it was a shoddy description but really, who would he tell? The only person he could tell was Gaius or his Mother, and this felt far too personal to share with either of them. This was between Kilgarrah, Balinor and himself.

The last of the Dragonkind.

* * *

Meh, not really sure if I liked the ending but oh well. I will do my best to update as quickly as possible, but I'm rethinking the plot right now and of course school is just going to get more and more demanding so I wouldn't expect anything with a month to be honest. But hey- thanks for reading, hope you've enjoyed it!


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: The last chapter! I'll explain why at the bottom, but for now just read and enjoy!**

**But not before I thank keacdragon, BlazingMistKitzune, The-Wasteland-Renegade, jfss93, Bookworm810, Delin Nobody, Angel of Music 111, E. , Nelxis, Green Nite, doctor bow tie, Miharux3, Myth. , lexisis, sb33terrang, PotterheadWhovian, Bunny Skywalker, PEACEHANDS1352, TheMightyE, mad 4 the doctor, kkoreangold, Accuro, Khodgi01, lucky, Lady Idryl, Zelfina, yesthenLucky9, Amerez, LadyOfTheOtherLake, Beta of all worlds, Vampyrefey, bandgeek216, Jldaniel, Temporarily-Obsessed, BeautifulDarknessQueen, JellyBabes 101, narnia365, Bombidill95, Cosmos89, rmarti540, fearthered moon wings, madacasgarpingu, gandalf53, MorikoKitsune, weepingelm, roxanne92, Crazy person8, pau-ness, zendog, FenirSS, .Riptide, messie23, Astrid Van Wilder, ElenaMaddie, Lolita-Girl-765, jadeb212 and Gur40goku who have all followed, favourited and reviewed my stories, you guys are the ****_best_****!**

* * *

Balinor and Merlin stood shoulder to shoulder as the roaring faded to a distant humming and the Golden Dragon sat before them. After what felt like lifetimes of silence, Kilgarrah began to speak. "Mai llosgi eich fflam llachar a pheidiwch byth â lleidau brawd i mi."

With a thick voice Balinor echoed Kilgarrah "Mai llosgi eich fflam llachar a pheidiwch byth â lleidau brawd i mi." Tentatively stepping forward the Dragonlord gently placed his hand on his Dragon's snout. He let out a small sobbing noise before looking Kilgarrah in the eye and saying softly "I had begun to think this day would never come Brother, I thought you would never

call for me and I would spend the rest of my life shackled in darkness with you." Balinor's tone had become anguished and his eyes showed a slight betrayal at having to wait for so long.

Kilgarrah smiled at Balinor, not unlike how had when they had last seen each other and spoke bluntly to him, although it was not unkind. "I am sorry, Brother, that you have suffered like I have; I hoped you could escape our fate and be free, but it appears the fates have not been kind to you. It would not have been good, for either of us, to remain in each others company in the beginning. We were both so full of hate and bitterness… I fear it would not have been wise. I have mourned for you every passing day, as you have been as lost to me as our kin. We have suffered such things Brother, we have suffered more than anyone else at _his_ hands." Balinor just looked pensively at the floor, thinking of the Dragons, their lords, his brothers and sisters, the brothers and sisters that could have been Merlin's too.

"I am also sorry that it has been so long since I sent you away but I have been needed here. The time has begun, a time that I have waited for since a hatchling. The time of Albion draws ever closer, although I'm sure our young warlock had already told you that. " His great golden gaze moved over to Merlin for the first time. They showed a mix of admiration and apprehension.  
Snapping out of his melancholy mood, Balinor looked up again with fire in his eyes. "Ah yes, that reminds me. _Our young warlock._" Removing his hand from Kilgarrah's snout and wrapping it around his boy's shoulders Balinor continued "How long have you known, _Brother_, that I have a son? And that this son is living in Camelot whilst hiding a daily use of magic, a traitorous knowledge of the Old Religion and an identity of Emrys? And did it ever occur to tell _me_ about my son?"

If he didn't know better, Merlin would've said that Kilgarrah looked sheepish. But he did know better and contrary to popular opinion he didn't have a death wish, so remained silent during their exchange and just smiled slightly, amused at the sight of a somewhat chastised Dragon.

"I apologise Balinor, but it has not been my place to interfere with destiny-" At this Merlin snorted rather loudly "And I have been unable to reach you for a many years, long before the boy came to Camelot. As foolish as Merlin can be, he is not a hatchling Balinor. It has pained me to know that you had been denied the chance to raise your son but it has not been my place to teach Merlin of his heritage. That is your duty and yours alone- I fear I would be a poor substitute."

Merlin's heart was racing. He had never heard Kilgarrah talk like this. He sounded so human. It would be a mistake to think that Dragons felt like humans did but Merlin didn't doubt that Kilgarrah could feel the deepness of their kinship more acutely than most men could. He felt privileged that such a wise and noble being was concerned with his welfare, and not just a destiny that seemed so impossible sometimes Merlin doubted if it would ever come to pass. It was like… gaining a brother, which he reasoned silently, wasn't a bad description of their relationship, or at least their future one.

Balinor however, was deep in thought. His heart beat faster and his chest swelled slightly at the thought that his boy had made such an impression on Kilgarrah; it spoke volumes of his character. Kilgarrah obviously cared in his own way for the boy, or else Balinor wouldn't be able to feel the guilt rolling of the Dragon in waves. And although there was a palpable amount of tension in the air that couldn't be entirely because the Dragon's potential freedom, it looked like the two could become good friends. So, slowly, he nodded and looked his Dragon in the eye again. He smiled quietly and nodded; a sign of forgiveness.

In his deep, rumbling voice Kilgarrah asked "So, Balinor, have you brought what is needed?"

Balinor reached into his robes and brought forth his sword; a beautiful blade marked with ancient Dragon runes that told the story of the first Dragon and his Lord, Balinor's forebear. It was Bryne Fængtóþ; Fire Fang. It was a sword that had seen a thousand battles and had been wielded by the line of Ambrosias since it was burnished by the First Dragon. There was a time when all in the magical world would tell stories of Bryne Fængtóþ; of all the battles it had seen, all the monsters had it slain, all the innocents it had protected. But all things must pass, even legends as great as this swords and fuelled by Uther's Purge, its heroic acts had fallen out of knowledge.

All three of them gazed upon the sword with awe and respect. Merlin took a step closer to the Dragon, before looking him in the eye with a fierce intensity and a strong voice.

"Before I release you, you must swear an oath to me that you shall never attack Camelot or seek vengeance on Uther Pendrag-"

Merlin was cut off by Kilgarrah's anguished roar, reverberating off the cave walls. They had expected a negative response but this… It was pulling at his heartstrings. He was tempted to tell Kilgarrah to forget about it just so he wouldn't have to see such pain and anger on his face. He was growing more distressed by the second and he felt about to fall over in fear.

"QUIET!" demanded Balinor and to Merlin's surprise and relief, Kilgarrah actually stopped snarling and just settled for glaring at Merlin. Dropping his voice to a softer tone Balinor said "We do not ask for anything unreasonable Brother. We just want to keep the people safe."

"Unreasonable? You are asking me to forgive that _wretched evil man_ Balinor! He killed my mate, my children, and their children, all of our kind- not to mention what other evils he has committed. You ask of me something that is impossible; I shall never forgive that man." Kilgarrah snarled and snapped as his voice boomed through the cavern.

"Not forgive, never forgive Brother." Balinor's tone was still soft but darker, more threatening, although both Merlin and Kilgarrah knew who the anger was directed at. "We shall never forgive, and never forget, but it is not our place to dole out punishment to who ever we chose. It is not our place to play God, even with a being as pitiful as Uther Pendragon. And we shall never forget that the people of Camelot are not completely innocent in this. They have stood by and watched a mad old man dictate death to _children_, and done _nothing._ They forsook their neighbours and friends to try and save their own hides. But they have suffered under Uther, not like we, Brother, never like we, but they have not come out of this unscathed. And that is why we must save them, for unlike Uther, they can be redeemed. Not today, and not tomorrow, but one day, they will have a choice. They can chose ignorance and cower in darkness and dirt, falling further than any of their forebears. Or they could chose acceptance and flourish and soar higher than even the most foresighted could have dreamed. They will become legends and myths, and their legacy shall outlive Destiny herself. The people of Camelot will one day have to make this choice.

And Arthur Pendragon is amongst them. He is yet to make his choice. He teeters on the brink of the abyss; not lost, but not saved. How is he to choose the path to acceptance if he believes the only acceptance there is is the evils of magic? How can he choose to soar if we do not provide him with the wings to do so?

That is why you cannot do this Brother. I will not pretend- I have spent many a dark night dreaming of hurting Uther, the same way he hurt me, until he can no longer bear it. But I know now that no good would come of it, only evil. If Uther or Camelot is destroyed by our kind, Arthur shall fall, and Albion with him. Grief and rage and twenty one years of lies would blind him and Uther would pale in comparison to his son. The Purge would be a distant memory in our minds as The Once and Future King set out to purge the world of magic. And he would Kilgarrah, he would. He would not stop until he found a way. He would sacrifice anything and everything to make it so."

Kilgarrah was still furious, smoke pouring out of his nostrils, growling every time Balinor mentioned Uther, but as he continued he began to look less murderous and more scared. It chilled the warlock to the bone to see the Dragon scared so and to hear Balinor's vision. But what scared him the most was the knowledge that it was true. Camelot wasn't innocent and they didn't all deserve to be saved, but he would do so for the greater good. And if he had to, he would save Uther again because Merlin was the only one who could see into Arthur's soul and what Balinor described couldn't begin to compare to what the warlock knew would happen. He shuddered, silent tears crawling down his pale cheeks.

After lifetimes of quiet, where the only noise to be heard was the deep breathing of the three and the near silent dripping of water Kilgarrah looked Merlin straight in the eye, something he had never done before. Or at least, never like this. The Dragon had clawed away his rough clothing and snow white skin and was boring right into the heart of him, to his very soul but he stood straight backed and held his ground. He refused obstinately to look away. He felt a spark in his chest, a connection had been made. Perhaps the connection had always been there but neither had ever noticed it, it was buried so deep down.

Suddenly he was struck with a vision.

He wandered into the courtyard, still gazing up at the bright banners strewn high across the street from building to building. He bumped into the back of someone, and eager not to get into a fight before even getting to Gaius, he quickly apologised and turned to walk away when a terrifying sight caught his eye. A man, about twenty years older than himself was being led, shaking and sweating, up onto a stage in the middle of the square, where a large hooded man stood, holding an axe that glinted in the midday sun. The Merlin that still stood in the cavern screamed silently and twisted to no avail inside this dream Merlin's body. He felt sick to his stomach as he resigned himself to watch something that still haunted his nightmares. He could barely hear Uther's hateful speech over the pounding of blood in his ears as he locked eyes with the wretched man, condemned to death by a King so drenched in blood he was drowning in it; who kept pulling more bodies under in attempt to pull himself from the sea of red he found himself trapped in.

Even as the axe came down, Merlin couldn't bring himself to look away.

He felt murderous, even more so than how he had done at the time. He wanted to take Uther and tear him into a thousand pieces and bury them deep beneath the Earth, somewhere they could never see the light of day again. And gods, he could do it. Merlin knew that he could simply walk into the room where the King was sleeping and just… destroy him. He could argue that he did it because of Uther's sins or because it was for the _greater good_… but he knew it that, deep down, there was a dark part of him. A side that was only let out for air on rare occasion, when he was needed. Otherwise it was locked away from sight, smothered in layers of kindness and feigned naivety, hidden so well even Merlin almost forgot it was their. _Almost._ That part of him wanted to kill Uther more than anything and damn the consequences. Watching this memory was threatening to release the murky shadow of Merlin from his prison so he could do what the darkest part of his heart desired.

But his torment didn't end at that memory.

Kilgarrah began pushing every face of the sorcerers who had died at Uther's hand into the forefront of his mind and the warlock felt helpless to stop it. He could feel his hatred of the man growing by the second. He saw every person he had ever killed, every monster he had defeated, every friend he had lost. He could feel his own rage as Kilgarrah insisted his Mother's death was necessary if it meant Arthur's survival, the anger of every time Arthur had snubbed him or been cruel to him, the hurt of every time the Prince had unknowingly called him evil. He felt the stab of pain of every lie he had told to save himself. He saw his Mother cry as she watched men in blood red cloaks ride into the woods, swords at the ready. The hopelessness she felt when she realized what was happening to her. Her desperation as she saw her babe's eyes burn gold as he opened them for the first time and all the candles in her cold shack burst into life. Her loneliness as she watched her son grow into the likeness of her dear Balinor. He felt his Father's bitterness as he was forced to run like an animal, _again_, forced to leave everything he loved, _again._ He felt his loneliness too, when he sat brooding in a dank cave and watched Druids dance from the shadows. He felt his anguish and betrayal and the stench of death fill his nostrils as the bodies of his kin littered the floor, their murderer so close, but not close enough for him to wrap his hands around the coward's neck.

He saw Kilgarrah happy. He saw a beautiful sapphire Dragon next to the golden one. She nuzzled her snout against him affectionately, making deep, throaty crooning noises. He felt as Kilgarrah returned the action, so full of love and hope Merlin could practically feel it brimming over the edges. He could see a Great Eyrie in snow peaked mountains, the call of Dragon's filling the blue sky. He could feel the rush of pride as Kilgarrah looked down and gazed devotedly at the cluster of hatchling nestled between him and his mate. He felt Kilgarrah's unimaginable pain as he saw, one by one, his children fall out of that sky and as the golden tinged blood seep out of his lover's chest and pool on the ground. He felt the utter desolation inside the Dragon as cowered in his prison, trying fruitlessly to hide from the unbearable ache. He felt the conviction seep into the Dragon, giving him a cause as dark as the cave around him. He had one thought, one purpose. The one thing that could avenge his Anwen, his children, his friends and perhaps fill the ever growing cavity in his chest, the one that slowly spread the poison in his veins.

"ENOUGH!"

Merlin blinked and found himself still standing in the cave staring into the Dragon's eyes. Both their faces were streaked with tears. He had broken the connection, torn away from his kin –for that, he realized, was what Kilgarrah had been long enough- unable to endure the emotions that came with the terrible visions. He saw Kilgarrah's eyes still staring at him, pleading that after all he had shown him, he could understand why Uther deserved retribution. That he would allow the Dragon to act out what he had dreamed of for so long.

But instead, in spite of all that Kilgarrah had shown him, Merlin shook his head and repeated softly "Enough. There has been enough."

Kilgarrah blinked, exhaled deeply and said, in a sad voice "Very well Brother. If that is what you wish I shall not betray you." Calmly, evenly he began. "I swear on Earth beneath my talons and the air beneath my wings, on the Goddess and on the magic that runs through every living creature that I shall not now or ever seek to bring harm to Uther Pendragon or his Kingdom. I swear to protect Arthur Pendragon, even from myself and to keep the people of Camelot safe until it is time to choose. I also swear fealty, not to the Once and Future King, but to Emrys, my Brother, my kin, my future Lord and Lord of the Druids."

At this, he bowed his mighty head at the gangly youth stood before him. Merlin bowed back, eternally thankful that his Brother had agreed to do this. He tentatively reached out and placed his hand on Kilgarrah's snout. "Thank you Brother." He whispered.

Balinor was shocked into silence. When he saw Kilgarrah push the connection between him and Merlin, Balinor felt torn. He knew that this was an important moment for the two, regardless that Merlin was his future Lord but he could tell from his son's face that whatever the Dragon was showing him, it wasn't good. He decided to hold back and wait to see what happened. He jumped in surprise when Merlin's voice roared through the cave, broken and pained. He was even more surprised when Merlin denied Kilgarrah of whatever he had been silently begging for. Such power, such strength…

When Kilgarrah swore his oaths Balinor felt a wave of relief wash over him. Now that was done with, they could release Kilgarrah and then head back to bed. He was very tired all of a sudden. Clearing his throat, he caught both their attentions. He asked "Where will you go?"

Kilgarrah looked suddenly lost, as if the thought of what he would do after his vengeance had never occurred to him. "I don't know," he replied "Perhaps I shall make the pilgrimage to the Isle of the Blessed before making my way to the GreatMountains."

"Well, in a few days I shall be returning to Hunith in Ealdor, and Merlin will be accompanying me. Would you consider meeting us in the forest near there in three days time? There are still matters we need to discuss and I would dearly like for you to meet my Hunith."

The Dragon smiled gently and nodded in reply.

Their shared gaze once again fell onto Bryne Fængtóþ. The power and grace it possessed and the effect its mere presence possessed was almost tangible. Balinor handed it to Merlin, who took it in true ceremonial fashion, holding it level, one hand on the ruby and opal encrusted hilt and the other on the flat of the blade. The warlock could feel the pull of its magic as he held it's feather light weight in his hands. He managed to pull his eyes up from the beautiful blade long enough to grin up at Kilgarrah as he walked over to where the chains began.

He and Balinor shared a look before he raised his sword above his head.

He looked Kilgarrah straight in the eye as he brought down the mighty sword. When it hit the chains it made an almighty sound, steel on steel, magic on magic, resonating in the air around them, in their souls and a blinding white flash threw every crack and crevice in the cave into sharp relief. They heard Kilgarrah roar jubilantly as his shackles broke and he launched up into the air, unrestrained for the first time in over twenty years. Both warlock and Dragonlord could feel his joy and the wind rushing past him as he sped to the concealed entrance to the cave. They joined in Kilgarrah's call of freedom as their Brother disappeared into the night before breaking into bouts of disbelieving laughter.

* * *

Later that night when both were lying in Merlin's tiny room, finally approaching sleep, they were struck with the feeling of wind rushing through their hair and a vision of lakes, fields and forests speeding by underneath them as someone whispered to them in the darkness.

_"Thank you Brothers."_

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**AN: IMPORTANT. YOU NEED TO READ THIS. SERIOUSLY GUYS I'M NOT KIDDING.**

Okay, so this is the final chapter. I know I promised Morgana etc but I'm really struggling to keep up with my work _and_ do regular updates so I decided to finish of this story so I could concentrate more on my studies. I'll keep on writing a sequel that does contain Morgana, as well as Hunith I think, but I won't post it until it's finished, which might be some time. But I am working on a little spin off one shot of young Balinor and Kilgarrah and I have other ideas for similar things, so keep an eye out! If you liked this story, if you didn't, if you have any good Merlin/Balinor stories you think I'd like or any ideas about sequels or oneshots I could do, please drop me a review and I'll get back to you!

This is the longest story I've ever written. 10,000 words. 1,172 views. Wow. Honestly, without you guys reading and following and favoriting it and reviewing it, this would join the pile of things I've never gotten around to finishing. So thank you, if your reading this, have a pat on the back and a biscuit on me!


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